On Sun, 1 Sep 1996, Mark Kaprow wrote:
> Is there somewhere I can read about all the messages I get on bounced
> messages and what to do about it?
 
Not really, other than here.  It is a lot better than it used to be
but the possible errors are so many, and the possible variations on
the error messages so enormous, and there are so many brain-dead systems
out there that the best guide is experience (you didn't want to hear
that, did you? ;-)  ).
>
> The manual implies to just quite delete or set those users to nomail, but
> why should I do that?
> shouldn't I try to figure out what is wrong with the messages?
 
Depends on your list size and/or how many you have.  Some listowners
with really big lists or many lists delete first and ask questions
later.  It works for them and, to preserve their sanity and at least
a modicum of free time, is probably the best approach.
 
For one or two moderate sized lists (2,000 - 4,000) examination of the
errors is more in order.  Some perhaps should be acted on immediately
and some, well, maybe we'll just watch this for a while and see.
(Just in case you don't know, lists this size can, at times, generate
over 1,000 errors per day, at which time one becomes a lot less lenient).
 
For smaller lists I would be pretty lenient, depending on the error.
A 3, 4, 5... day error, do something now.  If you don't do something
it could haunt you forever. Other errors, it depends...
 
There are alternatives to delete and nomail.  Delete may be perceived as
quite harsh (nasty, mean old listowner) and nomail the same.  In addition,
if you set them nomail and forget about them you could, after a few years,
if you are not using the RENEW keyword (or the new PROBE in 1.8c), acquire
a very substantial number of useless subs set nomail.  We have been setting
errant subs to Digest (those which are already digest present a problem,
but not a great one) and like it much better than setting subs nomail.
We got the idea from Joan Korenman (I do hope I spelled that properly).
 
However you deal with them, you do need to deal with error messages.
Some, if not dealt with, could continue indefintely.
 
Douglas
       Douglas Winship   Hays County, Texas  [log in to unmask]
                    Secondary AUTOCAT Listowner
                              MEDLAB-L